The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing a lens, particularly for processing the peripheral portion of a lens such as a spectacle lens to provide a prescribed shape so that the lens can be fitted into a spectacle frame.
Heretofore, when a lens such as a spectacle lens is processed so that the lens is fitted into a spectacle frame, the peripheral face of an uncut lens is ground by a grinder or cut by a cutter and the uncut lens is formed into a prescribed shape having a peripheral portion in accordance with data of the shape the spectacle frame.
Examples of known processing apparatuses for this purpose include, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Heisei 9(1997)-225799. In such apparatuses the peripheral portion of a lens is processed to a prescribed shape by swinging a lens-holding unit holding the lens relative to a rotating tool (a grinder) for grinding the peripheral face of the lens. The rotating tool and the lens-holding shaft are covered with a waterproof cover so that cooling water injected towards the lens and the tool is not scattered to other portions of the inside of the apparatus.
In this type of the waterproof mechanism, the waterproof cover has a small size so that the size of the portion for injecting the cooling water can be decreased. When the apparatus has a structure in which the lens-holding unit is swung relative to the rotating tool, the waterproof cover and a tank for storing the cooling water are fixed in the apparatus. An opening is formed in the waterproof cover along the locus of the swinging, lens-holding shaft and the lens-holding shaft is inserted through the opening.
A sliding shutter swinging in combination with the lens-holding shaft is disposed at the opening, so that scattering of the cooling water on the outside is prevented.
The conventional technology described above has the following problems. Since the shaft of the rotating tool is deviated from the extension of the locus of the lens-holding shaft, a sliding shutter swinging in combination with the lens-holding shaft does not interfere with the shaft of the rotating tool when the sliding shutter comes close to the rotating tool. However, when the shaft of the rotating tool is placed on the extension of the direction of displacement of the lens-holding shaft, the sliding shutter interferes with the shaft of the rotating tool when the lens-holding shaft comes close to the rotating tool and the device cannot be made waterproof. This phenomenon restricts the freedom of design markedly.
The present invention has been made to overcome the above problems and has an object of providing a mechanism which can surely prevent scattering of the cooling water even when the shaft of the rotating tool is disposed on an extension of the locus of displacement of the lens-holding shaft.
The present invention provides an apparatus for processing a lens which comprises in a waterproof case a lens-holding shaft which holds a lens and a means for processing which processes the lens and processes a peripheral portion of the lens while the lens-holding shaft is displaced towards the means for processing and a cooling liquid is injected towards the lens; wherein a long hole is formed along a locus of displacement of the lens-holding shaft at a portion of the waterproof case where the lens-holding shaft penetrates the waterproof case; a sliding shutter which closes the long hole and is freely flexible is connected to the lens-holding shaft; and a guide member which guides the sliding shutter is bent in an axial direction of the lens-holding shaft at an outside of the long hole. The direction of the displacement of the sliding shutter is thus changed and interference with the mechanisms and members in the apparatus for processing a lens is prevented.
In accordance with the present invention, when the range of displacement of the lens-holding shaft is made waterproof by the sliding shutter, the long hole corresponding to the locus of displacement of the lens-holding shaft can be surely made waterproof while the interference of the end portion of the sliding shutter with other members and mechanisms is prevented. The freedom of the arrangement of various mechanisms constituting the apparatus for processing a lens can be remarkably increased and the apparatus for processing a lens which is excellently waterproof can be provided. In particular, this apparatus is effective when the mechanisms for cooling and waterproofing are arranged after the arrangements of various mechanisms have been decided. The guide members of the sliding shutters can be arranged utilizing a space such as a space at the side of the waterproof case and the freedom of the design can be increased.
In accordance with yet another embodiment, there is provided an apparatus for processing a lens. The apparatus comprises a waterproof case, and a lens-holding shaft arranged to hold a lens and penetrate the waterproof case, and disposed at least partially in the waterproof case. A processing device is provided disposed to processes a peripheral portion of the lens, wherein the lens-holding shaft is displacable towards the processing device. A cooling liquid dispenser is provided disposed to inject cooling liquid towards the lens. A long hole is formed along a locus of displacement of the lens-holding shaft at a portion of the waterproof case where the lens-holding shaft penetrates the waterproof case. A flexible sliding shutter is connected to the lens-holding shaft and disposed to close the long hole. A guide member is disposed outside of the long hole to guide the sliding shutter, wherein the guide member is bent in an axial direction of the lens-holding shaft.
In accordance with a yet further embodiment, the processing device comprises a main shaft parallel with the lens-holding shaft, and the guide member is bent at a position between the long hole and the main shaft.
In accordance with another embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a drain arranged to discharge cooling liquid accumulated at a lower portion, or at an inside of the guide member.
In accordance with another embodiment, the waterproof case stands in a vertical direction, the lens-holding shaft is displaced in a vertical direction above the main shaft, and the guide member is disposed in a vertical direction at a position facing the long hole and is bent above the main shaft towards an outside of the apparatus.
In accordance with a still further embodiment, there is provided an apparatus for processing a lens, comprising a waterproof case and a lens-holding shaft arranged to hold a lens. A finishing device is provided disposed to chamfer or groove a peripheral portion of the lens. A measurement device is provided disposed to measure a peripheral shape of the lens, and process a peripheral portion of the lens, wherein the lens-holding shaft is displacable toward the finishing device. A cooling liquid dispenser is provided disposed to inject cooling liquid towards the lens. The lens-holding shaft is elevatable and lowerable in a vertical direction. The measurement device is fixed on an upper face of the waterproof case and supports a pair of measuring devices protruding towards an inside of the waterproof case in a manner such that the measuring device is displaceable along the lens-holding shaft. The finishing device is disposed on the upper face of the waterproof case and supports rotating tools for processing a peripheral portion of the lens, wherein the rotating tools are displacable between a position vertically above the holding shaft and a prescribed waiting position in a direction intersecting the holding shaft. A first penetrating hole having a shape of a long hole is formed on the upper face of the waterproof case in accordance with a range of displacement of the measuring device along the holding shaft. A second penetrating hole is formed on the upper face of the waterproof case in accordance with a range of displacement of the rotating tools in a direction intersecting the holding shaft. One or more shutters are disposed at a side of the rotating tool, and arranged to close the first penetrating hole and the second penetrating holes at an inner periphery of the waterproof case.
In a still further embodiment, the finishing device further comprises a base disposed on an upper face of the waterproof case and displaced towards the holding shaft, one or more sleeves fixed at the base and protruding into an inside of the waterproof case, and rotating tools disposed at lower ends of the sleeves. The shutters further comprise a first shutter disposed at the sleeves towards the first penetrating hole in a horizontal direction along the inside of the waterproof case and a second shutter disposed at the sleeves at a side opposite to a side of the first penetrating hole.
In yet another embodiment, the apparatus further comprises concave portions engagable with portions of the sleeves and formed at a position intersecting the second penetrating holes in the first penetrating hole and penetrate the first penetrating hole, and swinging shutters arranged to selectively close the concave portions in accordance with displacement of the sleeves, and disposed at the upper face of the waterproof case.